Worth it
by takitaka
Summary: Set during episode 25. Yuri briefly encounters Kotetsu and, to his own surprise, the meeting leaves him feeling better.


Yuri was never happier to leave that dimmed, cold room than at this exact moment. Not only did his shoulder hurt, since the painkillers he had taken earlier had long since worn off, he was also insanely irritated that he had to sit at a formal meeting with his hair down. It was a stupid thing to feel jumpy about, considering all that was going on, but it was simply the last straw. When he entered the room, almost late, after wasting who knows how much time in a bathroom trying to make something sensible with his hair using only one hand, he knew his looks could kill. And so he wasn't terribly surprised that both seats near his went unoccupied (although it did annoy him even more).

Moments after they all learned about Maverick thanks to the HeroTV, everyone rushed out of the room, thank God, because he was about to start snapping at people. It also turned out that there were actual explosions — or whatever those damned heroes did, really — on top of the building, and he was left to wonder again why the hell this room was soundproof. It trapped the most important people in the city inside it without any knowledge of what was going on in the stupid corridor outside.

(Though now that he actually knew about Maverick — well, maybe he had his answer.)

He was tired, irritated, in pain, and couldn't get rid of a suffocating feeling that he did absolutely _nothing_. That was not what he was aiming for, not this time, not when he had the person responsible for it all right in front of him.

He was so deeply occupied with his thoughts that a part of him wasn't even surprised when he bumped into someone.

"My apologies," he stated flatly, not at all in the mood for real pleasantries — and then did a double take when he heard a grunt of pain.

"Ah, it was nothing, nothing!" Yuri's sudden surprise was met with a sheepish smile of one Wild Tiger — or more like one Kotetsu Kaburagi, since he was without his mask. "I wasn't really looking where I was going, haha..."

He looked awful. That was the first thought that crossed Yuri's mind. He was obviously trying not to cringe in pain, which left his face in a truly ridiculous expression, his undersuit was torn and dirty and — did _no one_ think of giving him any sort of clothes to _cover himself_?

The questioning grin directed at Yuri was still somehow happy, though, and he realized that he was simply staring at the other man, some sort of unrecognizable emotion swelling in his chest.

"Dad, don't go away like that! You're still _hurt_, you know! We should go to the hospital!"

Before Yuri could busy himself with self-analysis, a girl that couldn't be older than ten ran to Kaburagi's side, looking exasperatedly up at her father.

"Papa just needs to go to the bathroom, sweetheart!" Kaburagi all but whined, putting his hand on the girl's head and wiggling a finger in her direction, somehow managing to also do it right in Yuri's face. The judge was definitely not amused, and while he was no expert at children… didn't this one look just a bit too old to be subjected to this sort of behaviour?

Well, considering the sort of resigned look that she sent her father's way, he was right.

Kaburagi shared only a few words with his daughter, really, but her eyes didn't leave his face even for a moment, and Yuri felt pinned to the spot by that emotion again. He felt unable to look away from the scene before himself. He went completely unnoticed by the girl, but she also looked tired, and relieved, and happy, and there were so many things about her that Yuri couldn't keep up with picking all of them up and naming them.

She was finally coaxed to go to Barnaby and the other heroes that were waiting by the exit, apparently staying inside only for a while to get a break from reporters. Or maybe for Kaburagi to go to the bathroom — God knew that the man probably found it more important than getting himself some medical care.

"I'm glad," Yuri said as pleasantly as he could, considering the state he was in, and he actually meant it. He was glad that Maverick was arrested (Lunatic would take care of him a bit later, after Yuri got his painkillers) and that this mess was more or less sorted out. "That you're all right."

…he did not expect _that_ to come out of his mouth.

He was honestly too surprised at himself to even feel any sort of dread coming over him; he just stood there, mouth slightly agape like he wanted to correct himself or explain and couldn't.

Before he could think of anything else to do, though, Kaburagi was laughing and reaching towards him and—really, if Yuri wasn't so shocked by what he'd said he'd react before it happened, he'd—prevent it from happening, _for sure_.

But as it was, he ended up in Wild Tiger's embrace, strong arms around him in the most awkward way since the man was hurt and didn't really want to press him against himself. At the same time, though, the gesture seemed so natural and genuine, no different from any simple "thanks" that any other person would—that any other person _should_ say in this situation, that Yuri simply couldn't even think of pulling away himself. And it was almost—almost… not entirely unpleasant, being held like that, and he didn't notice when his eyes closed briefly. Kaburagi was warm and firm against him, his breath not exactly steady, but definitely there and—oh, now he _knew_.

Yuri felt his hand tighten on his briefcase while his other one patted Kaburagi's side awkwardly, half because it felt like the right thing to do and half as a request to be released. The man had to get different idea, though, because he moved his arms up from Yuri's back and squeezed and — Yuri gasped when a stream of pain ran through his shoulder, finding himself tensing (and a part of his mind wondered— when had he _relaxed_)?

At the very least that made Kaburagi let go of him and step back, looking a bit embarrassed, but happy nonetheless, and Yuri tried to guard his face into an expression other than "I feel like I'm about to pass out from pain, you idiot."

"Ah, sorry about that; I guess I got so many hugs today that it felt like the best thing to do now, heheh… Um, in any case, thanks for that; we all had a bit of a day, um…" Kaburagi made a few wild movements with his hands and stepped around Yuri looking like his legs felt suddenly too long for him. "Sorry, bathroom!"

Yuri watched him go, desperately trying not to smile too widely.

He didn't do _nothing_, after all. He had helped this person before, dare he say it—saved him, and it was—good. He supposed.

Maybe even, he thought while he was passing the heroes by the entrance, surrounding Kaburagi's little daughter—maybe even worth more than a pain in the shoulder.


End file.
